OTTAWA – The CRTC has shot down a request by Canal Évasion to cut its Canadian programming expenditure (CPE) requirement from 46% to 32% of its previous year’s gross revenues.
Évasion is a Frech-language category A service dedicated to travel and adventure that is owned by Quebec TV and video production company Groupe Serdy and Quebecor’s Groupe TVA.
In its application to the Commission, Évasion argued that it would not benefit from the group-based approach in the same way as the large French-language ownership groups, or have advantages such as a greater flexibility in the allocation of resources.
It also requested that it be treated as a designated ownership group as part of the next licence renewal for Évasion and the related Category B discretionary service Zeste in 2018, plus offered to change the status of Évasion to a Category B service for the remainder of its licence term, which expires August 31, 2018, in the event that its application was approved.
The Commission denied the request on Tuesday, noting that Évasion's proposed CPE level does not correspond to the more current requirements imposed in the group-based licensing approach announced last May.
“…given the upcoming licence renewal for Évasion and Zeste and the applicant’s stated intention to request that it be treated under the group-based approach, the Commission considers that it would be injudicious to examine the applicant’s current request in isolation”, reads the decision. “Rather, the Commission is of the view that it would be more appropriate to assess the CPE requirements for Évasion at its licence renewal, when it also examines the licence renewal applications for the related service Zeste and other independent discretionary services. If the applicant wishes to be treated as a designated ownership group and be subject to conditions of licence similar to those imposed on the large ownership groups, it can make that case as part of its licence renewal application.”
